Interview with Allan Holdsworth (Chitarre 1996): Difference between revisions
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==Interview with Allan Holdsworth== | ==Interview with Allan Holdsworth== | ||
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By Mauro Salvatori | By Mauro Salvatori | ||
For those who have had the opportunity to follow the more than twenty-year career of Allan Holdsworth, this latest record will represent a bolt from the blue: None Too Soon opens a new chapter for the artistic evolution of this great guitarist. Finally after years spent looking for a maturity as a composer, this time Allan gives us an album totally focused on jazz standards. | For those who have had the opportunity to follow the more than twenty-year career of Allan Holdsworth, this latest record will represent a bolt from the blue: None Too Soon opens a new chapter for the artistic evolution of this great guitarist. Finally after years spent looking for a maturity as a composer, this time Allan gives us an album totally focused on jazz standards. | ||
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Mauro Salvatori | Mauro Salvatori | ||
== The Gordon Beck Quartet: EXPERIMENTS WITH POPS== | == The Gordon Beck Quartet: EXPERIMENTS WITH POPS== | ||
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The record is perhaps impossible to find but it is well worth looking for! The undersigned has been lucky: he wishes you the same! | The record is perhaps impossible to find but it is well worth looking for! The undersigned has been lucky: he wishes you the same! | ||
==HEAVY MACHINERY== | ==HEAVY MACHINERY== | ||
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ANDERS JOHANSSON A musical project to say the least JENS JOHANSSON unusual and unpublished for the Swedish and brothers duo, who are now ALLAN HOLDSWORTH recognized as one of the flagship wings of the Nordic music scene. Anders Johansson started playing the piano, but then at the age of fourteen he dived to study the drums and since then he has come a long way: most people will probably remember him alongside Malmsteen in his Rising Force for the next five multiplatinate albums , but Anders later collaborated also with John McLaughlin's bassist, Jonas Hellborg, and then joined John Sykes' band, a character who saw it at the time with bands like Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake. Then Anders also found the time to play with the Chinese mega-star vocalist Wei Wei: in short, a respectable curriculum, as is his rocky and precise drumming, at times cold and ruthless like the climate of his land of origin. Jens Johansson is a classical and avant-garde keyboardist at the same time, and mentions among his influences the baroque music and people like Stockhausen and Ligeti; in addition to experiences with Malmsteen, he has played with bands like The Silver Mountain and Dio: both brothers have now released several solo LPs and their Heptagon label is among the most active in the Scandinavian landscape. Not surprisingly, for their musical directions today the two turned to this music project for their own musical project like Holdsworth: there is really a bit of everything in this album, but a great determination predominates, perhaps a rage certainly unexpected, at times unpublished, which leads the two brothers to build harmonious and resonant carpets on which Allan can vent performances at the limits of the harmonic adventure: quite minor chord progressions, glacial keyboard sounds, and rhythmic performances often based on broken times or dragging times where it is not difficult to insert the experimental lines, in part atonal, of a guitar that never seems satisfied enough with the improvisations achieved! Each title could seem the most suitable to describe the content of the album: it goes from the initial "Joint Ventures", very adherent to the stylistic elements of the early 1970s jazz rock, in which Allan retraces certain solo lines that reconfirm him the leader of a well-established technical-musical itinerary, to then run into the "Mission Possible" with a vaguely bluish gait in which Jens Johansson enjoys keyboard citations perhaps dear to the first Brian Auger, but which then allow excursions with the lever for a decidedly Holdsworth at ease, while the song expands infinitely in an increasingly engaging way, "Good Morning, Mr Coffee", nervous, urgent, with its broken and frantic rhythm, increases the dose of impatience for the listener since then the song widens for a game of keyboards that leads to harmonies on 4/4 where Allan convulsively inserts a series of phrasings all too daring and unconventional ible: perhaps "Sioux Of The Day" winks at certain moods that are a bit moody, from the harmonic point of view, dear to the early UK and with keyboard references that Eddie Jobson would not mind, but then in "On The Fritz" the atmosphere returns to a fusion played on counter-timings and high-level instrumental joints: for those who have known Holdsworth's performances in the first solo albums by Bill Bruford many intuitions, based on the work of rhythm, will then constitute a pleasant confirmation, as in "Never Mind Out Weather" or in "Beef Cherokee". For those who want to listen to a wild Holdsworth that is never predictable or predictable, here is the right opportunity: thanks to two well-trained and intrepid Swedish musicians, the Johansson brothers, a surname to remember! | ANDERS JOHANSSON A musical project to say the least JENS JOHANSSON unusual and unpublished for the Swedish and brothers duo, who are now ALLAN HOLDSWORTH recognized as one of the flagship wings of the Nordic music scene. Anders Johansson started playing the piano, but then at the age of fourteen he dived to study the drums and since then he has come a long way: most people will probably remember him alongside Malmsteen in his Rising Force for the next five multiplatinate albums , but Anders later collaborated also with John McLaughlin's bassist, Jonas Hellborg, and then joined John Sykes' band, a character who saw it at the time with bands like Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake. Then Anders also found the time to play with the Chinese mega-star vocalist Wei Wei: in short, a respectable curriculum, as is his rocky and precise drumming, at times cold and ruthless like the climate of his land of origin. Jens Johansson is a classical and avant-garde keyboardist at the same time, and mentions among his influences the baroque music and people like Stockhausen and Ligeti; in addition to experiences with Malmsteen, he has played with bands like The Silver Mountain and Dio: both brothers have now released several solo LPs and their Heptagon label is among the most active in the Scandinavian landscape. Not surprisingly, for their musical directions today the two turned to this music project for their own musical project like Holdsworth: there is really a bit of everything in this album, but a great determination predominates, perhaps a rage certainly unexpected, at times unpublished, which leads the two brothers to build harmonious and resonant carpets on which Allan can vent performances at the limits of the harmonic adventure: quite minor chord progressions, glacial keyboard sounds, and rhythmic performances often based on broken times or dragging times where it is not difficult to insert the experimental lines, in part atonal, of a guitar that never seems satisfied enough with the improvisations achieved! Each title could seem the most suitable to describe the content of the album: it goes from the initial "Joint Ventures", very adherent to the stylistic elements of the early 1970s jazz rock, in which Allan retraces certain solo lines that reconfirm him the leader of a well-established technical-musical itinerary, to then run into the "Mission Possible" with a vaguely bluish gait in which Jens Johansson enjoys keyboard citations perhaps dear to the first Brian Auger, but which then allow excursions with the lever for a decidedly Holdsworth at ease, while the song expands infinitely in an increasingly engaging way, "Good Morning, Mr Coffee", nervous, urgent, with its broken and frantic rhythm, increases the dose of impatience for the listener since then the song widens for a game of keyboards that leads to harmonies on 4/4 where Allan convulsively inserts a series of phrasings all too daring and unconventional ible: perhaps "Sioux Of The Day" winks at certain moods that are a bit moody, from the harmonic point of view, dear to the early UK and with keyboard references that Eddie Jobson would not mind, but then in "On The Fritz" the atmosphere returns to a fusion played on counter-timings and high-level instrumental joints: for those who have known Holdsworth's performances in the first solo albums by Bill Bruford many intuitions, based on the work of rhythm, will then constitute a pleasant confirmation, as in "Never Mind Out Weather" or in "Beef Cherokee". For those who want to listen to a wild Holdsworth that is never predictable or predictable, here is the right opportunity: thanks to two well-trained and intrepid Swedish musicians, the Johansson brothers, a surname to remember! | ||
(ms) | (ms) | ||
==ChatGPT version== | |||
Chitarre | |||
November 1996 | |||
By Mauro Salvatori | |||
For those who have had the opportunity to follow Allan Holdsworth's more than twenty-year career, this latest album of his will come as a bolt from the blue: "None Too Soon" marks a new chapter in the artistic evolution of this great guitarist. Finally, after years spent seeking his maturation as a composer, Allan has gifted us with an album entirely focused on jazz standards. | |||
We have already reviewed the album in "Chitarre" in the October issue (and I refer you to that for a detailed description), but it's worth noting that, alongside Gordon Beck, Kirk Covington, and Gary Willis, Allan has tackled compositions by authors such as Coltrane, Reinhardt, Joe Henderson, and even Lennon-McCartney... Lots of hard bebop and many fusion atmospheres with futuristic sounds: Allan reaches the peak of technicality in "Countdown," "Norwegian Wood," and "Isotope." For such a high-class album, it was at least necessary to have a chat with him: the phone rings in Los Angeles... | |||
Allan, why did you choose to center the content of your new work on jazz standards? It seems like a rather unusual decision, especially when compared to your previous discography... | |||
AH: Well, I have to admit that the idea came from Gordon Beck. We've been friends for such a long time now, and in our conversations, the topic came up about how many people often struggle to really grasp the musical content of my proposals. Some consider my repertoire too difficult, unusual, very personal. So Gordon suggested, "...perhaps if you recorded an album with well-known tracks, even more familiar to a certain type of audience, listeners might be able to follow your directions more easily, both from a guitaristic and strictly musical point of view." And indeed, much of my music aims to be as original as possible, which can perhaps create some difficulty upon first listening. But it's also worth mentioning that all my compositions are based on harmonic progressions that then become a vehicle for all the other musicians playing with me to improvise on. So you can use the term jazz in every way, even though, of course, the technical concepts with which the other instrumentalists move within my pieces cannot be properly defined as straight-ahead jazz (in the more traditional sense of the phrase), especially the work of the drummers or even the sounds we often choose during recording and so on. In short, Gordon insisted, "...perhaps with an album of that kind, the audience would understand your intentions better." So I decided to go for it, and I must say I'm very happy with how the work turned out in the end! | |||
Q: I heard that you had some difficulties with the distribution of the album... | |||
AH: Yes, originally, I had signed a contract with Polydor for distribution in the United States and Japan, but then some of the higher-ups decided they didn't like the album, so I had to start all over again. In fact, the work itself was recorded over a year ago. Fortunately, I've had a great working relationship with Jean Marie Solani of French Cream Records for quite some time now. He already owns my previous catalog of records, so we were still able to release the CD in the European market. | |||
Q: Let's talk about some of the songs on the album. Why did you choose The Beatles and their "Norwegian Wood"? | |||
AH: This was also an idea suggested by Gordon Beck. Many years ago, he had the opportunity to record that song on one of his solo albums, so we wanted to revisit this composition, partly reconnecting with the arrangement recorded at the time (the album in question is "Experiments with Pops," and I refer you to the section in the article about it). | |||
Q: I believe the masterpiece of the album is Django Reinhardt's "Nuages"... | |||
AH: Thank you, I have to admit that I've always been a fan of Django, and this album was an opportunity to pay homage to him. I've also been a passionate fan of John Coltrane, hence why we included his "Countdown." The same goes for Joe Henderson and "Isotope." These are all songs that are part of the jazz world, but I don't consider them strictly standards. I must say that perhaps the only song you could define as such is Irving Berlin's "How Deep Is The Ocean." | |||
Q: To what extent do you think your phrasing has improved or changed in this specific case, within harmonic structures that are quite different from those on which your songs usually rely? | |||
AH: I think this album allowed me to explore different phrasing within these somewhat different harmonic structures. It was a great opportunity to expand my musical vocabulary and adapt my playing style to the context of these classic jazz compositions. It's always a challenge, but it's also a chance to grow as a musician. | |||
AH: Well, I don't think I played differently from my usual style. Let's say that this time, I tried to respect and draw inspiration from a very specific musical idiom. However, I want to make it clear that one thing I definitely didn't want to do, the last thing I'd want to do [emphasizing with an energetic tone of voice], is play with that typical "Big-JazzFat-Guitar" intention that many guitarists tend to use when dealing with certain musical situations [and here, I believe Allan was referring to the warm, round sound quite common among traditional jazz guitarists]. I have absolutely no interest in that kind of thing. At the same time, I don't want to say that I don't like this or that guitarist; it's just that if I were to play with that type of sound or phrasing, it wouldn't be me anymore. In any musical context, I always want the listener to recognize myself and my way of playing in the truest sense of the word. One of the reasons I'm satisfied with this work is precisely because, in the end, at least as far as I'm concerned, it sounds like me, and I didn't do anything to change my musical personality. For example, I used the same guitar I always play, and in this sense, it was a real milestone to be able to use distorted sounds, incorporate them, and make them work within a certain environment, something I've worked on for a long time. Typically, distorted guitar is always associated with rock music. Another important element is the ability to exploit that particular sustain. I'll say it again: perhaps that kind of music might push you in one direction rather than another, but the underlying spirit remains the same. All in all, just like in my compositions, I did nothing but improvise on some chords. | |||
Q: Regarding recording with a new rhythm section, how did you find the experience? | |||
AH: I would say it was excellent. The reason we decided to play with Gary Willis and Kirk Covington was quite simple. Some time ago, Gordon and I worked with them on a compilation to rearrange Beatles songs, and during that project, we recorded "Michelle" [the compilation in question is titled "Come Together, Guitar Tribute To The Beatles," produced by Mike Manieri for NYC Records, distributed by VMG, catalog number NYC 6004 2]. Everything worked wonderfully, so when Gordon and I started talking about this project, their names immediately came up. Of course, we wanted Gary and Kirk to play in their own style, without giving them instructions or suggestions, and their contribution turned out to be very valuable. | |||
Q: Since we're talking about your recordings outside of your album, you recently recorded with the Johansson brothers. How would you describe this collaboration? | |||
AH: Well, it's a completely different musical dimension, definitely more rock-oriented. In my opinion, it's a very good album, and even in this case, it's something different from what I would play if it were my own music. I would say that if you listen to it, you realize that the person playing is still the same. I like to think of "None Too Soon" at one extreme, the collaboration with the Johansson brothers at another, and my own music somewhere in between. Again, it's important to understand that no matter how you want to listen to it, it's always the same person playing. | |||
Q: Allan, to return to your latest work for a moment, have you ever studied or played jazz standards in your career before? I remember some of your concerts in London in the early seventies alongside some notable names in the English jazz scene of that time... | |||
AH: Oh, certainly, although I have to say that I grew up more listening to be-bop than playing it. However, in the early days when I moved to London, I had the opportunity to collaborate with some jazz musicians, such as Pat Smythe (pianist), and therefore the opportunity to explore certain musical structures. Nevertheless, I must confess that I always tried to interpret them in a personal way, attempting to achieve my own style of playing, just as I tried to do with "None Too Soon." Of course, I think I play better today than I did back then – the more time passes, the more you hope to improve. | |||
Q: A little curiosity for our readers: a few years ago, I remember you were working on a reworking of your "Tokyo Dream." Has it ever been released on a record? | |||
AH: Yes, but only for the Japanese market, although you can find imports of it here in America. I'm not sure about Europe. I think the album was titled "Wardencltyffe Tower Plus Three" because it contained some re-recorded tracks on which I had returned to work, partly different from the originals recorded at the time. | |||
Q: Regarding your equipment, what did you use on "None Too Soon"? | |||
AH: Regarding amplification, I recorded the clean sounds live, going through a D.I., while for the distorted sounds, I alternated between a Mesa Boogie Rectifier with a 2x12 Rectifier cabinet and a Sovtek, which I liked quite a bit in slightly less distorted situations, always rich in sustain but not equally aggressive, as in "Nuages." As for guitars, I used a Steinberger and a Carvin prototype. I've been collaborating with Carvin recently. | |||
Q: Another little curiosity: what music does Allan Holdsworth listen to when he's not busy creating another masterpiece? | |||
AH: Oh boy (laughs), the truth is I'm always so busy working, recording, composing, and so on, and time always seems limited. However, in recent weeks, I've returned to listening to composers like Debussy, Ravel, and Shostakovich. | |||
Q: One of your recent releases, perhaps the most unexpected but also the most welcome, was your instructional video for REH. Do you have any new projects in that regard? | |||
AH: At the moment, I don't have any specific plans for new instructional videos, but I'm always open to the idea of sharing knowledge and insights with fellow musicians and guitar enthusiasts in the future. | |||
AH: I don't know, for now, I don't think so. It's very challenging to try to release a video without ending up doing what others are already offering, things like "do it like this, put your hand that way, use this fingering," and so on. That's exactly what I tried to avoid. Instead, the purpose of that video was to explore new ways to stimulate people to seek other ideas, other directions, open new creative horizons, and above all, provide them with new information they can use in their own way. However, a new project I've just started working on, but I expect it will take at least a couple of years to finish, is a book in which I aim to explain in every single detail how I think from a harmonic perspective. | |||
Q: I imagine it will be quite a challenging project to complete... | |||
AH: Especially lengthy, I would say, but it will contain all the formulas I typically use to derive scales and progressions. | |||
I thought I saw one of your instructional columns in a magazine. | |||
AH: Oh no, absolutely not. I would never write for a magazine. The truth is they copied some excerpts from an interview and presented them as a regular column, and I'm quite upset about it. Initially, when they called to propose the idea, I thanked them for thinking of me but told them I didn't have the time, yet they went ahead with it anyway... (followed by a rather colorful expression that Allan uttered with a decidedly disgusted tone). | |||
To return to "None Too Soon" for a moment, there are some great guitar work and also brilliant use of the SynthAxe, especially in the harmonizations. I thought you had abandoned this instrument. | |||
AH: Yes, in fact, I now use the SynthAxe only occasionally, also because I no longer own one. However, I still love being able to play it in the studio. In this particular case, it seemed appropriate to include it to create a contrast with the piano parts and give a sense of more space to the chord harmonizations. I think the piece in which Gary Willis plays his solo, "Very Early," is very successful in that regard, and I can create that expansive atmosphere behind it. Unfortunately, I stopped playing live with the SynthAxe as they don't make them anymore, and maintenance becomes quite complicated. | |||
Q: Changing the topic: do you know that Yngwie Malmsteen recently recorded a version of "In the Dead Of Night"? | |||
AH: Oh yes, I met him some time ago, and he told me he had something like that in mind. | |||
Q: Does that make you happy? | |||
AH: Certainly, although I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet. | |||
Q: Do you have any advice for the Italian readers of Chitarre, from a technical but perhaps also a philosophical standpoint? | |||
AH: I would say that from a technical perspective, it's essential to focus on developing your own unique voice on the instrument. Don't just copy what others are doing but strive to find your own sound and style. Also, always keep an open mind and be willing to explore new musical horizons. Don't limit yourself to one genre or style; there's a world of music out there waiting to be discovered. And from a philosophical standpoint, I would say that music is a lifelong journey, and it's important to enjoy the process of learning and growing as a musician. Don't be too hard on yourself, and remember that there's always more to learn and explore. Keep the passion alive, and let your love for music drive you forward. | |||
AH: First and foremost, I love Italy and all the people who live there. I believe there's a unique sense of humanity and warmth that's hard to find in some other countries. From what I've heard, there may not be a need for advice because there seems to be a lot of talent around those parts. Maybe I could suggest always being persistent, never giving up, "keep going man, don't give it up." Lastly, I'd like to mention a phrase that I always keep in mind and believe can be somewhat helpful: "Hope for the best but always be ready to face the worst!" [laughing heartily]. | |||
Q: Do you have any thoughts on the musical front for those who are just starting today? | |||
AH: Well, I think the most important thing is to find the right path to fully express yourself. I was influenced by many musicians initially, and I believe it's good to be influenced, but as time goes on, it's wonderful to find a way to create something unique! | |||
Q: Any upcoming projects? | |||
AH: Well, I already have the material written for a new album, and I hope to get into the studio as soon as possible so I can release the album early next year. I'm also about to form a new group with which I want to play something entirely new, a blend between what I used to do before and this new combination with some jazzier components and influences. I already have the musicians in mind, but for now, I prefer to keep it a secret. Above all, I hope to get back on the road in Italy. There are already plans and contacts in the works, and I confess that I miss the Italian audience, the people. And don't forget, I'm a fan of ravioli, tortellini, and, why not, good wine! Yes, I believe we'll see each other again very soon! | |||
Mauro Salvatori | |||
